


And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news."

by ColieDuck



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas fic, Gen, Implied Character Death, Mild Angst, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 03:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColieDuck/pseuds/ColieDuck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas isn't really a luxury that hunters can afford. Garth is no exception. </p>
<p>A vaguely Christmassy ficlet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news."

Christmas isn't really a luxury that hunters can have most of the time. Unfortunately, spirits and vamps and shtrigas don't take the festive season as a time to relax and eat excessive amounts of food, which means hunters aren't allowed to enjoy a traditional Christmas either. Garth is no exception. It sucks, sure, but someone's gotta make sure that regular unsuspecting folk get the merry Christmas they deserve. 

But that doesn't mean he can't do a couple things for himself too. 

There's a little church in Lawrence that fills itself up with Christmas trees of every shape and size, each decorated by various groups and charities and churchgoers; the very epitome of seasonal cheer. Garth found out about the place when he overheard Dean telling Sam about how their Mom always dragged John and Dean there every year to look at all the trees, how they should try and visit if they found the time, bring Cas and Bobby along, a Team Free Will Christmas outing. 

Garth takes a long, steadying breath before pulling open the heavy wooden door and stepping inside the chilly building. 

It's as beautiful as Dean described it, brightly decorated trees filling every available space, happy couples and their beaming children flailing wildly in the odd ambiance cast by twinkling artificial tree lights and the soft glow of candlelight. 

He doesn't exactly have a lot of time to spare, there have been a number of unusual deaths a few towns over that sounds like his sort of thing, but it's hard to rush through when there's so much to look at, a different tree every time he turns around. There are trees filled with paper doves, overly glittery stars made by local children, and one that's entirely knitted, the branches and everything. 

It's nearly an hour later when Garth reaches the final two trees in the church. They're both covered with little slips of paper, which closer examination reveals to be memorials to those who aren't going to be around this Christmastime. Garth's mind instantly jumps to a week previous, to laying flowers at the remains of Bobby's house, finding the sheriff there to do just the same, tears flowing silently for the both of them. A whispered 'Merry Christmas' that was devoured by the stillness of the place, the suffocating silence. 

He's absently reading the names, Andy, Sarah, Maddy, James, Sam - his heart clenches at Sam, but he dismisses the thought with a shake of his head, Sam isn't exactly an uncommon name, and besides, who would even write him a memorial? There's no-one left but Garth himself, and he's kicking himself for not thinking of doing something for the boys. _Next year_ , he resolves. 

His eyes slide over to the next sheet with 'In loving memory of' emblazoned at the top and his heart twists again at the name written beneath. Dean. 

A Sam and a Dean, next to each other, in a church favoured by Mary Winchester, in Lawrence, Kansas? It's too much to be a coincidence. The handwriting on the notes is even the same. Garth looks back to the one dedicated to Sam, absently notes the patches where the paper is bumpy and ever-so-slightly darker than the rest, and reads: 

_In loving memory of Sam,_

_We all made mistakes, myself more than most. You never needed to blame yourself. Not for any of it. I'm only sorry you never made the most of the life you could have had. Send my regards to Jessica, and I'll watch over Amelia until you can see her again._

_Please accept my sincerest apologies. You were never an abomination. In fact, you were more of a man than I was and can ever be._

His gaze drops to Dean's note, which appears to be even more tear-stained than Sam's, albeit much briefer:

_In loving memory of Dean,_

_I never should have let go. When we meet again you are more than welcome to take another swing at me._

_I love you._

Garth straightens up, salty tears already streaking down to meet his lips. Turning, he notices a flash of tan material whipping out the door. There's a spark of familiarity that he can't place at the sight of it, and he finds himself pacing as fast as he respectfully can in a church after it. 

He hefts open the door just in time to see an unmistakable Chevrolet Impala speed away through the lightly falling snow. It makes him feel both infinitely sadder and so much happier, because maybe it means someone else is missing the boys just as much as he is, but there's still someone left who cares enough to continue their legacy. 

Back in the church, atop a tree full of the names and memories of the dead, there sits a dark haired angel made of porcelain with the biggest blue eyes and what looks like a dirty overcoat. The children would swear to you that it's real, and sometimes it glows with a white light that’s real pretty but makes your eyes go funny if you stare at it for too long, and glittering tears will fall from its eyes and wet the names of Sam and Dean Winchester.

**Author's Note:**

> This is Supernatural, of course there was going to be some angst, why would Christmas be any different?
> 
> So this was inspired by a real life experience that took place the other day wherein I visited a church like this with all the Christmas trees (which had to be relocated to Lawrence for this fic to work) and found a Sam next to a Dean on the memorial tree and it gave me feels. And then this happened. I know it isn't very high quality but I just needed to write something using this idea so I hope y'all don't mind ^^ 
> 
> Also writing Garth is hard ._.


End file.
